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13 Ways Uni Feels Totally Different As A Second Year

How different can your second year at university be? Really different, it turns out.

1. You know the union nights are going to be awful

Does getting older make you wiser? If you define wisdom as ‘not spending your student loan on cringe-inducing freshers’ nights at the SU’, then yes it does.

2. You don’t live in halls anymore and you can’t decide if that’s good or not

Positives: You don’t have to share a kitchen with a dozen other people any more.

Negatives:You can’t blame everyone else for your kitchen being a total mess now.

3. There’s the risk of actually having to do work this year

Getting 40% on the end of year exam isn’t enough anymore. It’s time to hit the books (for small periods of time, when you feel up to it).

4. This time you won’t join 80 societies in the first week

Although you may still be on their mailing lists, so you can look forward to receiving updates from ‘Real Ale and Parkour’ society until your graduation.

5. Going out every night is harder than you remember

You’re no longer sure how you managed to go out for 15 consecutive nights during freshers’. After two nights of heavy drinking you’re pretty much ready to go to bed with Netflix and ahot drink.

6. You have friends

The best bit about coming back to university is that you don’t have to bother making new friends. Your old friends are back as well, and they’re still great!

7. Your Tastes Have Changed

Maybe this year you’ll lay off the ramen noodle dinners and knock-off Jagerbomb substitutes.

8. At least 15% of your time will be spent talking about the heating

How long get you get away with leaving it off for? How long will it take for the house to heat up enough? Should it be automatic or manual? Does everyone’s room get heated evenly? Is it too hot now?! Yes, welcome to second year.

9. You know how to get the best seats in the library

And nothing is going to stop you from getting them.

10. You have to commute to campus

And when you’re queuing for a bus the November rain it’s enough to make you consider dropping out just so you can move back to halls.

11. Your Feelings towards freshers are complicated

You feel superior to them, you envy them, you want to protect them from the malicious forces of unnecessary mistakes and bad nightclub promoters.

12. You’re just glad you’re not a finalist

Your final year of university seemed a lifetime away in first year. It’s closer now, waiting patiently in the shadows and occasionally sending you pricks of anxiety, reminding you of final exams or imminent adulthood and all the worries that come with leaving the university bubble. But don’t worry. You’re not there yet.

13. You’ll be careful with your student loan this time

Well, maybe not this one. Some habits take longer than a year to break.